Hay loader



April 16, 1929. c. wHlTcHl-:R

HAY LOADER Filed Deo. 15, 19.24

5 Sheets-Sheet APll 16, 1929. c. L. wHl'rcHER 1,709,384

HAY LOADER Filed Dec. 15, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l e I I l n l' l l `9,9lzg'log4f4 alb ,Z31g'- fz; 5h za A 60 g fe /3 /Izz'g\)fenor. ,IZ f3Zar/es L. miic/1er.

Y. :g1: l

ff M?- filo Patented Apr; V16, 1929.

.Gewinnen .wnircnnnror Semenenfinei Gnmmnmeu Hey hoelang.

i. Appnqatiomed y-Iaecernmer 15, 1924. serial minimali.

vagitati111g',*breaking the straw; vines or shattering-theseed from. theplants. iTo 'that so as to'prevent Waste.

end, I provide a ymeans Eorpglding*under the svvaths',` windrows-orshoeks and elevating the plants to a position l to be 'discharged fintoa hay'bed; Wliieh transferaspreviously stated is' acooniplished'vvith aminimum-amount of agitation sothat' raoteal-ly all oftheseed ca-nfbesaved. 'n

As is Welljknown, a large quantity-ofthe seed of cereal-plants is'lostlo'y irongh=hand ling of theydried hay, straw or rvinesin load-.ing the material svvaths7 vvindrows or f shocks to a hay .bedfortransporting from y"the field to a destination Whiohnnaybea1no\vstaok, silage orto-a threshingmachine Where the eerealistobeseparated-from the f stfrayvfvines orffodd'er;` andanobjeet of theinvention is to providea simple andellieient means i,orhandlingthenaterial 'lnfloafdlng All object oiythe inventionistonrovide-,a

"hay1 loader .that lcan be easily and, qnicklyat tached to andy detachedfrom a lwly'bedl To that end, I'provide a loader With side abwehvingmeans so that ,a Wagon Acangloe driven .wagon to a 1positionconsiderablyin advance' alongv the side of a loader in rposition lto kloe'connectedjtliereto.y Hereftofore h ay loaders havebeen Vc onstrncted sothat, they are atta'ohable only tothe rea'rfendof a Wagon;- `so that ithas been. necessary -to first drive'a Afof a loader aftervvhiohitishaekedt'oapoi s iton to bei-attached `;Wliieh.n1oveinentsof lthe iWagon reqnire considerable' timev and trouble to accomplish,A andfanobject y'of-the invention is to "save'tine and to eliminate unnecessarytrouble; i *l Another object of thefinventionisto vpro- Avide ahayloaderythatisadapted tobe propelled alongside.- of 'and parallelwith avehiole, so -thatjit oanbemovedintofposition to 4 gather grass, hay orplants 'ror'n .swaths,

'f invention.

iingathe vehiclenemthermaterialnieuwe@@hacks inLe-.fieldwahut,dem

Heretoforefiitrhasbeenfimpraetiealktpload nagonythe'simplefandrecient.means ,fer loedinglhijgh fr A feature of the'inventionJirnthe i xl.n -positiongtorbe engaged fby elevator; which f means@Oxnpmses la fpivotalllyf meunted `forknavi-1.1;;. .i-11c1ifned timesadapted toniavel in advance of -thel elevator .in FOStQn 1to1 .gathersubstantially fall the material fin Althe path of theforkand'liftjtintogpositionto ibo engagedby afconvfeyl :0f theelevatorthe elevator Y for KliSll-gaging the fingers of the' conveyorbar from Vthe liayfand towipe :them eleanoffthe material-ELS it,isdiselrarged 1 from the elevator to the vcross conveyor.' v

Features ofthe invention iarefshownin the Construction, `e(nnloinato nand arrangement Y of` ip a rits whereby .la 'fhay-i-loader iis providednsthat is simple vand .dur-.able lconstrnotioniandfveryileffieientrinoperation.. p v Other ob 'eats'.y advantages; andY features A, of

.invention fnay e:appear `from theaocornpanyeisnbgonedg detailedcl'eserp- :tion l,and ftheappended claims.- I

'Wheacoolnpanying drawings illnstratefthe Figure l:1: is lia l'nagmentalplan view hay doader constructed V1n .-aooordaDGe `,with

.'f this invention;v and;showing.fiteattaehedfto a hay Lwagon 1nyposltion fto be operated y and also 1i showing part or the Wa gon'xhedbroken loader and the Wagon. u Y

' F 1s an enlargedfseetlonon line m2,

f' #1y-,showing -.a detail1.oonsntnotion ,1 of a i i 7differentialratchet Aeonneetedtoigt'he drive Wheels.

.view on 4`line w8, :Fig.f51, shojvving ithe loader f in operationelevating a yshook of hay.

f E1g.. flisganrenlargedgnagmental view on line a," Fig. 1 showin r adetail of the u iper end ofthe elevatorl adjacentto the cross conveyor.

A Fig. 1.0. Y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view on line` m5, Fig. 1,showingV thehay `loader in side elevation andin operation lifting hayfrom the ground, elevating a shock and discharging ashock from theelevator to the cross conveyor.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental section on line au, Fig. 5, showing indetail the means for driving the cross conveyor by rotation ofthe uppershaft of the elevator.

Fig. 7 is aplan view of a rear corner of i the loader frame showing adetail of one of Vthe castor wheels for supporting the rear of theframe, a plan view of one of the spacer bars and the'loader draw bar. i

Fi-g. 8 isan enlarged fragmental cross section on line w8, Fig. 5,showing a detail of the pipe support for Vthe elevator; and/.alsoAVshowingajfront view of a castor Wheel and associated-parts. Y V

`9 is an enlarged fragmental section onV line m9., Fig, showing adetailed con-f struction of the front end of the loader togetherwiththeelevator driving means.

Fig'. 10 is an enlargedV fragmental plan view of an upper-.left-handyportion of the elevator; the .cross conveyor being omitted for the sakeof elearness.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmental plan view of an upper right handportion of the elevator; also` omitting thel cross conveyor.

Fig. 12 is a fragmental section on line w12.' Fig. 10.

- Fig.r 13 is a fragmental section'on line 0013,

ilig. 1%1 is an wiper bar that is arranged to remove the material fromthe elevator lingers; the parts of the cross conveyor being omitted.

Fig. 15 is afviewanalogous to Fig. 11 showing an elevator lingerengaging the wiper bar that is arranged to rotate in the direction ofvthe arrows so as `to remove any material from the fingers that mightbeinclined to vstick to them as' they are -ldrawn down between theeleva-tor shaft and rotary bar.

Fig. 16 is-a perspective view of a fragmental end portion of one of theconveyor kbars showing a bearing for pivotally connecting it `te aspindle carried by a conveyor chain. Y

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of one of the i spindle bearingchainlinks, showing a Aspindle on which; one' of the carrier barVbearings is adapted to be mounted. Y y

Fig. 18 is a `perspective view of one of the elevator lingers detachedfrom thejconveyor bar. y

Fig. 19 is a.fragine/ntal plan view of the upper end of the elevator;with the parts .ofxclearness in showing 'enlarged fragmental section4online ai, Fig. 10,s`howi'ng a detail of the upper end of the elevatorandthe rotaryj of the cross conveyor omitted for the sake the dischargeend of lthe elevator. 1

Fig. 2O is a plan view of the loader fork detached from the appliance.

Fig. 21 is an edge view of a center portion yof the` fork as viewed fromthe line w21,

the shaft 3 when the 4hay loader is being propelled inv a forwarddirection.

Also by the arrangement of the differential ratchets relative to thewheels the hay loader can ybe moved in a rear direction with# outactuating the drive shaft 3.

Longitudinal beams 5 are arrangedabovc and adjacent the ends oftheshaft/3, and are connected thereto by bearings 6 and bolts 7; andtherear ends ofthese beams are connected by brackets 8 and bolts 9 to across i bar 10; and spindles 11 of castorwheels 12 are pivotallyconnected to the brackets 8; and the wheels are arranged to support therear end of the loader 1.

Inclined beams 13 are secured by bolts 1 4 to thel front ends of thebeams 5 and are ar-V ranged to -`'extend upward at a desired angle.preferably about thirty five degrees; and

adjacent their upper and lower ends theyk are V,the wheels 2 candifferentiate in consumati ing a turn in either directionaiid valsodrive connectedl by cross `plates-Q15, 16; and, inter- V mediate thesecross plates other cross plates 17.

rIhe elevated ends of the beams 13 are supare* arranged ported by rods18 connected to beams 5 and 13 by bolts 19 and preferably the lrods 18aie pipes with flattened ends as shown in the drawings.

, The elevator way 21 that is formed between the beams 13 by `means offlooring secured to the cross plates 15, 16, 17 and preferably metalguards 22, 23 are secured to the intake and Vdisehaige ends of theslideway 20` and arranged to extend over and partly around the shafts241 25 journalled into the beams 13 adjacent theiilower and upper end.The purpose. ofzthe guards 227 23 is to prevent material such as grass,hay, straw or fodder 2O is provided with a slide- Y from being woundonto the shafts when they are rotated.

Across conveyor 26 is arranged under and adjacent the discharge end ofthe elevator 20. It comprises parallel side beams 27, 2S connected bysuitable cross plates 29 to which a slide 30 is secured as best shown inFig. 6. Metal guards 3l, 32 are secured to the ends 40 toward the rearof' the appliance` so Vthat `When'in operation they are adapted-to glideof 4the slide 30 and are arranged to `extend over `and partly surroundthe shafts 331 V34 journalled through the ends ofthe beams to the ends37 vare secured kblocks 38that also bearing straps that are adapted Vtovsupport the fork 41. v

Fork 41 is provided with side bearing blocks 42 that are pivotallycormected to the straps 40 by pins 43.

best shown in Figsr3, 20, 2l; vAs seen therein the bearing blocks 42 aresecu-red Jbybolts 45; and intermediate of these blocks are arranged thetines 46 that are spaced equidis.- tant apartand have their rear endssecured by bolts 47 lto the :plate 44, A

'The fork handle 48 has its :torwardend securedcentrallybybolts 49tot-he plate 44; and the rear end of this handle issecured by a. spiingconnection 50 to a cross bar 5l that is secured between thebeain Y rPhe,fork 41- is pivotally mountedon the pins 43 and the associated partsarrangecso tines 46 are yieldingly held close tojtliesurface of -ltheground` and inclined upward undcrtlie materialand elevate it into posi-`tion to be'passed onto the intake end of the slide 2110i4l the elevator20; and alsoV theV U fork is mounted so `that yit can readily yield 17inclusive.

When engaging raised places `on thesurface of the grounc.

The elevator `2() yis. provided with movable cross bars 52 that arecarried by sprocket chains 53 arranged on sprockets 5 4:k 55 that aresecured to the lshafts 247 and arranged so that the chainsare spacedapart by the cross bars 52.

The connection of the bars 52 to the rchains 53 is best illustrated inFigs. l() to As, seen therein the bars 52 have end bearings 56 providedwith sockets into Which'spindles 57ai'eadapted to extend; and thespindles 57 are integral with spaced links 581m the chains Preferablythe bearings 56. are formed of short pieces of pipe that have endportions 59 hammered down-and secured to the bars `Wardsover the slide21;'` Vcarry the bearings 39 for the shaft 24 and A .there is a crossplate 44 to Vthe ends of whichr cured to the bary 5 by blocks 71 andbolts material'tjherefrom onto a hay Wagon. l'

The barsl 52 While being moved yover the -iace of the slide-24 areprevented `from axial rotation by `means, of gliders 61 .that are ..in

tegral with the bearings 56 and Vwhich are arranged kto extend atrightanglesto the bars and toengage 4theslideand thereby prevent rotationofthe' bearings 56 on the spin- Everyother one of the bars v52 are pro` fvided 'with fingers 62 that preferably @are -made of sheet metal stripsthat are tapered,

bent .to form and secured by bolts 63 to the bars 52 as shown in thedrawings; andthe purpose of the lingers` is to engage the inaterial andaid the bars 52 in moving it up- ,A means is provided for driving the asprocket-"Wl eel 64 that .is connected by a Y y drive chain'v 65 Withiasprocket 66 on a conn- The fork 4l is .preferably constructed astei-shaft 6.71 .that liasione end supported by a' bearing 68 secured :bybolts 69l to the beam 5 'and the other endofthe counter sha-ft is rlfhebarTO is spaced rawayfroin endsc- The shaftt? is drivenby rotation ofthe shaft 3 that is provided with a gear 73 meshing ywith a see Figi).Yl y An idlerrf is secured to the yleit hand beam 134in position tobewong'aged with the that normally the sharpened endsof the' chain-65aiidhold it taut Whenbeing driven. A driving connection; is providedbet-Ween the shafts 25 and 33 whereby the actuation kof f the main drive`'shaft operates the crosscon conveyors oithe elevator 20 yand veyoi`2(.4V f

The shaft 25 is extended and providedwith a sprocket 76 that isconnected by a n chain 77 to a sprocket 7301119. counteifshaft 7 9thatcrissecured to the beam 27 byblocks SO-'and bolts 8l.

The shaft Z9 is provided Witha bevel gear 3l that meshes with a bevelpinion 82 on the shaft 33s() thatwhen `the main drive shaft 3 is rotatedin a forward direction it will actuate the conveyors Aof the elevator20and ,cross conveyor 26.

arranged vto drive theshaiit 33 in a direction that ,Will move the bars84 over the face 30 of ythe cross conveyors 26 to discharge pinion 74 on-the shaft 67,

iio

The hay loader 1 is attached to the wagon 85 by means of front and rearspacing bars Y understood andare therefore not shown or described indetail; it being understood that the bars 86, 87 are detachably andpivotally connectedV to the loader and hay bed and that they function tospace the two appliances apart while bed.

`A draft chain 92 has one endfconnected to a ring 93 that is attached toa draw bar 94 thatis secured by bolts 95 to the-left hand beam 5adjacenti-ts rear end; and the forward end of the chain 92 has a link 96`through which the wagon king pin 97 is extended.

By the foregoing. construction and arrangement of the bars 86, 87 andchain 92 the loader 1 can be attached to the wagon 85 so that when thelatter is propelled the load'- er will also be made to move in a courseparallel to and `in time with the wagon; and through the forwardrotation of the wheels 2, the shaft 8 will be driven to actuate theconveyors of the elevator and the cross conveyor 26 to transportmaterial. from the ground to a wagon bed;` and after it is loaded thechain 92 and bars 86, 87 can beA disconnected so that the wagon can bedriven Vaw-ay with the load and the loader left in positionrtobe hitchedto another wagon.

In operation the fork 11 is pivotally mounted so that its tinesare-inclined downward with the sharpened points arranged to glide overand near `to the surface of the ground so that by a forward movementthey can be forced under swaths, windrows or shocks to lift thematerialinto position to be engaged Vby the conveyor of the elevator and carriedupward toward the discharge end of the elevator`20. Y

As previously stated the bars `52 are held from axial rotation whilemoving over the slide 21 by means of the gliders 61, so that they willnot. roll and thereby become entangled with the material; and also sothat the fingers 62 will be held in a position best adapted to engagethe material and help to transport it up the slide. Y

The upper end of the slide 21 is cut away at 98, 98 so as to release thegliders 61 when the bars 52 have reached the limit of their upwardmovement; see Fig. 19. And when the gliders reach the spaces 98, 98',the bars in operation loading the hayV Viffoesa` 52 are free to move ontheir axis to permit their fingers 62 to be withdrawn from the materialand to be moved down between the shaft 25 and a rotary wiper bar 99 thathas end spindles 100, 101 journalled through the beams 13. Y

' VA sprocket 102 is secured to the spindle 100 and it is connected by achain 108 to a sprocket 104.- secured to an extended end of the shaft25so that when theshaft 25 is rotated the wiper bar 99 will be driven ina direction to disengage any material that might be inclined to cling tothe bars 52 or lingers 62 as they are drawn down between the shaft 25and wiper bar 99 as best illus trated in Figs.- 14, 15.

As seen therein the fingers are arranged to engage the wiper bar 99which is rotated in a direction to force the material from the basestoward the points of the fingers to clear them of material; and at thesame time the gliders 61 are releasedr so that the bars 52 can move ontheir axes to compensate for vany changeof position necessary as thefingers engage the rotary bar 99 and are drawn between it and the shaft25. Y

It is understood that the chains 58 and 83 can be provided with suitableguards 105, and also that the elevator 20 and cross conveyor 26 can beprovided with .side boards 106 and 107, respectively. Also it isunderstood that the fork 11 can be provided with i side wings108 thataidin directing material c in swaths, windrows or shocks toward theintake end of the elevator 20.

IniFig's. 3, 5 the hay loader is shown inV operation. In Fig. 3, a shockof hay 109 is shown on the elevator 20 and arrows indicate the directionit is being moved. Y

In Fig.'5 a scattered shock of hay 110 is Y shown as gathered by thelfork 41 and di'- rected toward the intake end of the elevator 20.Another shock of hay 111 fully intact is shownk about two-thirds the wayof the elevator; andV still another shock of4 hay 112 is showndischarged from the elevator 20 onto the cross conveyor 26.

The direction of movement of material as gathered from thel ground andtransported to a vehicle is illustratedin Figfl by meansof the longarrows.

The wagon 85 is driven over a iield so that the fork 41 is moved in adirection to glide under a swath, windrow, or shock, and lift thematerial into position to enter the intake end of the elevator 20 aspreviously stated; and the material is transported to and up theelevator and from the cross conveyor to the wagon without greatlydisintegrating, agitating orv breaking up the material to scatter vtheseed therefrom.

I claim:

1. The hay loader set forth comprising a frame; a main drive shaftattached to said frame; wheels through which said shaft is' wheels andshaft; anelevator slide attached to said frame that has intake anddischarge ends; a conveyor` adapt'edi tomove over saidslide andearry'matei'ial from the intake to the discharge end of saidslide; rafork pivotally and yieldingly mounted. oiif the forward` end of said`elevator for lifting. .materi-al from the ground to theintake end ofsaidl slide; a cross conveyor `adjacent the discharge endef said1 slide;spacer liars forY attaching said loader to aside of a hay wagon; a drawchainV detaehablyconnecting said' loader tothe hay wagon and saidconveyors adapted for actuation by the movement of the wagon.

2. The hay loaderset forth comprising an elevator slide having la faceand intake and discharge ends; sprocket chains arranged `adjacent theside edges of said slide; square bars arranged to extend across saidslide" a I C o n 7 pivotal connection between said bars and chains;means for holding said barsfroin rotation while being moved over theface yof said slide, and for releasing the same aty the discharge end ofsaid slide so'that said bars can'be rotated-on their axes; and said'chains being adapted for actuation to move said bars upward overtheface of said slide.

The hay loader set forth comprising an elevator slide having a face andintake and discharge ends; sprocket chains arranged adjacent the sideedges of said slide;sp'in .dles carried by said chains ;squared barsarranged to extend across said slide and having end bearings adapted toybe fitted onto said spindles; `gliders adjacent the ends of said barsthat are adapted to hold said bars from rotation while being moved overthe yface of said slide; said gliders adapted to be released atthedischarge end of said slide so that saidbars can rotate onV saidspindles; and said` chains being adapted for actuation to move said barsupward over the face of said slide. l v

4. The hay loader set forth comprising an elevator slide having a faceand intake and discharge ends; shafts adjacent the ends of said slide;sprockety wheels on said shafts; sprocket chains' on said ywheels thatare arranged adjacent the side edges of said slide;

oppositely arranged spindles carried by said chain; squared barsarranged to extend Vacross said slide bearings at the ends ofisaid barsthat are adapted to be vfitted to said spindles so that said bars canrotate.; gliders secured to said bearings that are adapted to hold saidbars from rotating while being moved over the face of said slide; saidgliders adapted to be released'at the 'discharge end of said slide sothat said` bars can rotate; and said chains adapted for actuation tomove said bars up over the face of said slide. y

5; l.The hay loader setforth comprising an elevator: slide having a.face;,and intake andj discharge ends; shafts 'adjacent the ends of saidslide; Sprocket wheels on said. shafts; sprocket chains on: said Wheelsthat arearranged adjacent the side edgesnof said` slide; spindlescarriedby'said chains; bars ar-y ranged fto' extend across thefV face of said.

slide; bearingsv at thel ends of saidbars that aie'adaptedfto bep-fittedyonfto said spindles` y so ytl'iat-'said rotate; gliders secured tosaidbearings that are adapted 'to hold said barsl from rotationwliilethey are beingmoved overv the face of said slide;

said gliders vadapt-edito be releasedj'so that saidjba-rs can berotated; fingers onsaid bar that are arranged to extend: upward whilesaid bars are moved over they face off said slide; means foractuatingsaid chains to move saidbars and fingers upward over the face of saidslide;fingers'atv the intake end n 4of said slide forryieldingly liftinghayfroin the ground'into position to be engaged and carried upward bysaid bars 'and lingers; a wiper barpadjacent the discharge end of saidslide vthat isl adapted to be rotated so as to remove the hay fromsaidbars and fingers; and a driving connection between adjacent the sideedges of said slide; spin-j dles carried by said.chains;jbars arrangedto exteiidacross said slide; bearings secured to the ends of said barsthat are adapted to be fitted onto said spindle sok that said bars canrotate; lingers secured yto said bars;

gliders securedl to said bearings that aie adaptedto holdsaid bars fromrotation as they are moved upward over said slide; said chains adaptedfor actuation to move said kbars and fingers upward over .said slide; a

fork 'adjacent the intake end of said slide that is adapted to lift-hayfrom the ground into position to be engaged aiidgcarried upward on saidslide by said barsy and fingers ;vV

a square wiper bar arranged adjacent to and acrossthe discharge endofjsaid slide that is adapted Yto be rotated to remove hay from saidbars and fingers; a chain drive connecting'said wiper vbar with saidupper shaft kwhereby it can be rotated; and means adja- Y cent thedischarge end of said slide for 11eleasing said gliders so that saidbars can move on-their axes so that they can' be drawn down between saidupper shaft and wiperbar. 1

7. lThe hay loader set forth comprising. a,l frame; a Wheel support forsaid frame; an`

inclined `elevator slide supported by said Y frame that has a face; andintake and discharge endsyupper and lower shafts at the ends of saidslide; sprocket wheels on said shafts; sprocket ehainson said wheelsthat are arranged adjacentfthe side edges of said slide gv spindlesintegral with spaced links in said chains; square bars arranged vtoextend across said slide; hearings secured to the ends of said bars thatare adapted to he fitted to saidspindles so that said bars have pivotalmovement; fingers secured to said bars; gliders integral'with saidbearings that are `adapted to Vhold said bars from pivotal movement asthey are moved upward over said slide; said chains adapted for ac-Vtuation to move said bars and fingers upward over said slide; a forkpivotally connected to said frame and arranged Iadjacent the intake endof said slide that is `adapted to lifthay from the ground into positionto be engaged by and carried up' said slideV by said bars and lingers;means atthe discharge end of said slide for releasing said gliders sothat said hars can'have pivotal

